In order for the local community to support conservation, conservation must support the local community.
That means mitigating the impact of human-wildlife conflict is an increasingly important area of operational focus. The Maasai are a traditionally pastoralist society, their wealth directly associated to their livestock. Retaliatory killings of predators that kill livestock in combination of an old tradition to hunt lions as a mark of bravery, prestige and manhood meant that 20 years ago the lion population in Amboseli was headed for extinction. In 2003 there were less than 10 lions that existed in a 300,000 acre region near Mt. Kilimanjaro. With a lion population on the brink of extinction, action had to be taken.
The solution was the Predator Compensation Scheme, to offset the impact of living with predators. Established in 2003 the scheme pays Maasai livestock owners varying levels of compensation for livestock killed by lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and jackals on the condition that no predators are killed in retaliation. Big Life verification officers go to the scene to confirm all depredations and penalties to final compensation awarded will be made for poor animal husbandry. Fines are assessed and payments withheld if any predators are killed by members of participating communities.
Recent droughts have led to weakened livestock herds, making them easier prey for predators and so the scale of implementation of the scheme far exceeds the original areas covered. After the scheme was introduced lion killings dropped by 90% almost immediately. It is vital for predator populations and the community that the scheme remains fully funded and can expand to areas in need. Thanks to the scheme and the support of lion conservation partners the 10 lions grew to over 200 and a one million acre corridor has been created for their safety, with this ecosystem being one of the few experiencing a lion population that is growing not declining. That being said, the habitat that once had 200,000 lions now only has 30,000 today.
Elephants are the other species that are greatly threatened by human-wildlife conflict. As the human population grows and encroaches onto what was wild land the competition for resources increases. Elephants are known to raid crops and damage water supplies, leaving a resentful community. To reduce these conflicts Big Life has constructed 100km of crop protection fencing with 32 fence maintenance workers to maintain functionality. Rangers also respond to any alerts of elephants on their way to farm land to chase them away as well as protecting water supplies.
The other way in which Big Life commits to reducing human-wildlife conflict is through the creation of the Maasai olympics which takes place every two years. The goal of this is to bring the community together and to build a new tradition of hunting for medals not lions.
